Kentucky jails cyclist for riding on the street...

So apparently she was a danger to herself and others...

Apparently after repeated endangerment citations because they claim the road is too dangerous to bike on they jailed her.

From maps and street view it looks like a pretty major highway, not somewhere I would want to ride a bike but possible, and within her legal rights; I think we can all agree on that.

My question is just because it is legal and the shortest route does it make it a good idea?

I mapped it out and google suggests a couple of routes about 5 or 6 miles longer than taking the highway direct, they all look like much less stressful rides to me.

What sort of route would you take?

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Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on September 17, 2014 at 7:37am
And this is "news" to you! I think I'll go for a ride in the JFK express lanes and see what happens. NOT a good idea ! !
Permalink Reply by skyrefuge on September 17, 2014 at 9:00am

Bizarre; she basically has the world's nicest, emptiest, 8-foot-wide protected bike lane five feet to her right, but she refuses to ride there for some reason?

With a shoulder that nice, there's absolutely no question in my mind: I'd take the straight-shot down US-27, though I'd ride stress-free in the shoulder and not in the travel lane like she insists on. Because of their giant shoulders, US highways tend to be some of my favorite roads for efficiently covering distance. I currently commute down a similarly beautiful shoulder on 6-lane 45mph Higgins Rd. in Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates.

In the hypothetical case where the shoulder didn't exist, I guess I'd ride the 5 extra miles, but I sure as hell wouldn't be happy about it and I would be searching hard for other alternatives.

Permalink Reply by JC (8.5) on September 17, 2014 at 9:16am

Thank goodness we have actual protected bike lanes in Chicago - I couldn't do what she's been doing.

 

There was a post on this story on a cycling site (can't re-find it now) that has a response video from the woman showing her concern with the quality of the road surface on the shoulder.  Between the rumble strip and all the debris she feels it's safer to ride in the lane. 

 

I think it's an 18 mile on-way, so adding 5-6 might be worth the piece of mind, although this case seems more about standing up for the right to ride take the road in the name of (her) safety.

Permalink Reply by JC (8.5) on September 17, 2014 at 9:19am

here it is, roll to the comments for her video response

http://blogs.bicycling.com/blogs/everydayrider/riding-on-the-rumble...

Permalink Reply by Duppie on September 17, 2014 at 9:26am

Here is another cyclist that has run-ins with the law for refusing to ride on the shoulder.

http://chipsea.blogspot.com/

Permalink Reply by skyrefuge on September 17, 2014 at 9:45am

Yes, rumble strips are the absolute worst, *if they're poorly designed* (I spent hours a few months ago StreetViewing a route across Ohio that avoided their terrible "rumble stripes"). They are not poorly designed in this case. Her video confirms to me that it's a perfectly rideable shoulder (and another commenter concurs). She appears to point out some rounded bits of glass and broken bits of plastic as if they are some sort of deadly hazard that exists only on this shoulder in this horrible part of Kentucky, when in reality, that's what every road in the country looks like.

If she lived in Chicago, I think she would not be able to ride anywhere. Certainly not in a bike lane with its crumbling road-edge and puddles, and then, even taking the middle of the lane down Dearborn, would still not be able to tolerate the imperfect road surface. A pothole would blow her mind.

I appreciate her fight for cyclist rights, but it would be a lot more helpful for everyone if it was directed at a road that was actually hazardous/unrideable.


JC (8.5) said:

Thank goodness we have actual protected bike lanes in Chicago - I couldn't do what she's been doing.

 

There was a post on this story on a cycling site (can't re-find it now) that has a response video from the woman showing her concern with the quality of the road surface on the shoulder.  Between the rumble strip and all the debris she feels it's safer to ride in the lane. 

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on September 17, 2014 at 10:24am

I did not see where bicycles were not permitted on the road she was riding; it is a 4 lane divided highway and should be fair game for bikes.

A highway is not an expressway or interstate, bikes are legal on them unless specifically prohibited AFAIK.

John Durham said:


Bicycles are specifically prohibited on the Kennedy. Bicycles are not prohibited on the stretch of road that this woman has been ticketed on.  

What Dug was asking is that given the choice of detouring 5-6 miles out of your way or riding on a busy road what would you do?  

This has been going on for some time and I remember reading about her about a year ago when she was first cited for riding on this road. She is technically within her legal rights, but what seems to gall people is that she takes the right lane and does not ride in the shoulder.  

Personally I don't think I would want to deal with the stress of riding in that kind of traffic day after day and would opt for the longer, quieter route.  

Tom A.K. said:

And this is "news" to you! I think I'll go for a ride in the JFK express lanes and see what happens. NOT a good idea ! !
Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on September 17, 2014 at 10:31am

He  was on an interstate and I am pretty sure you cannot ride a bicycle on those roads, or even a small scooter.

Duppie said:

Here is another cyclist that has run-ins with the law for refusing to ride on the shoulder.

http://chipsea.blogspot.com/

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on September 17, 2014 at 10:37am

Wow, so I watched the video she took to 'defend' her position of riding in traffic and I have to say that she pretty much lost any support from me right there...

Yeah, there were a few times where it looked like the shoulder was not great but it was still a very wide well paved shoulder without wide rumble strips.  I cannot see why she felt the need to ride in the lane most of the time.

JC (8.5) said:

here it is, roll to the comments for her video response

http://blogs.bicycling.com/blogs/everydayrider/riding-on-the-rumble...

Permalink Reply by Chitown_Mike on September 17, 2014 at 10:54am

I used to be ornery and take Milwaukee for a stretch until a right turn, I opted to take the North Branch Trail simply for my sanity and safety.  5-6 miles more and she wouldn't be sitting in a jail cell for any length of time.

Permalink Reply by Christopher C. on September 17, 2014 at 2:08pm
The shoulder in question is pretty shitty a lot of the time and the drivers in KY are even worse. My father rode that stretch of highway for years w/ gator skins/armadillos and would get a couple of flats a week. Plenty of tire pieces, broke down cars, tree branches, glass, drunken rednecks and other crap comes and goes from the break down lane This isn't chicago were talking about here so there ain't no street sweepers. ;)

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